Finding What Is Important
by trishaj48
Summary: Gil's life has been turned upside down, what will it take to make it right? As always CSI belongs to it's writes and producers, not me. Also sll mistakes are mine, I did not use a beta reader for this one.


Finding What Is Important

"Gil, it is time to get up," Heather said as she shook him awake. Gil had spent the night in her guest room that was the only place he could sleep, that was the only place that did not remind him of Sara.

Heather had told Gil he was welcome there anytime he wanted to stay. The first night Gil had stayed there he had asked her to stay with him; she knew it was not for sex, they both knew that was not even a consideration. They have tried it once, but it just did not feel right to either of them. But out of that grew a deep and caring friendship.

"I hate seeing you this way," Heather said as she fixed him something to eat. "She has gone on with her life, I have to go on with mine," Gil said trying to convince her that he meant what he said. Gil had told Heather about the e-mail Sara had sent, even showed it to her. Sara had sent him one more telling to make a future, "We are the past."

"Are you sure you are seeing it all?" Heather had asked, "I do not see a happy person, I see someone who is hurting. I see someone who loves you and just dose not want you to worry."

Gil pushed that possibility out of his mind, Sara was gone; just like Warrick was, and neither of them was coming back. He had to find a way to go on living.

"Griss needs Sara," Nick said to Catherine, "He walks around here like a zombie."

"I know," Catherine said and she knew only one way to help him.

Gil had always buried himself in his work before whenever he wanted to lock out the world, but this time it was not working. Sara had touched his world; his life will never be the same without her.

Gil and Nick were standing in front of a half burnt building, that was their scene today - a possible arson.

"The fire department managed to save part of it," Jim said.

I wonder what is in the basement," Nick asked, "I'll bet drugs, that's why they torched the place."

"Well there is only one way to find out," Gil said heading down the stairs. Gil took a pair of bolt cutters and cut the padlock off the door, what he saw when he opened it stunned him. Children! About twelve children all huddled together, most were crying.

"Jim, down here, NOW," Gil yelled.

Quickly Jim and Nick were by his side, they couldn't believe their eyes. All the children were girls, 7 to 12 years of age. Most of them could not speak English so it took the better part of an hour to figure out what was going on. It seems the owner of the house had bought the girls from poor families with the promise of a good education and a better life but what he was doing was running a kiddy porn operation, he was even using some of the girls as prostitutes. When he discovered the law was closing in on him he torched the house, hoping to destroy all the evidence, including the girls.

Gil was watching as Children's Services took the girls away, one of the younger ones stopped to thank him; she was cuddling a teddy bear.

"Your friend?" Gil asked.

"He kept me safe," the little girl said hugging it tighter as her chocolate brown eyes filled with tears.

"Sara come on," one of the older girls softly said taking her hand.

"Your name is Sara?" Gil asked.

The girl nodded her head as she left with her older sister. Gil's mind went back to something Sara had once told him; Sara had said her only since of security was am old brown teddy bear. Besides in his arms, Sara had told Gil, holding that bear was the only time she felt safe.

Gil went outside, walking to a tree he buried his face and cried, "Who is protecting you now?"

At the office Gil turned on his computer and replayed Sara's message. Gil did not see strong independent Sara standing there, he seen someone who needed his arms for protection. But where is she? How can he protect her if he could not find her?

Catherine walked into Gil's office, handing Gil a piece of paper she said, "I got in contact with one of Sam's old friends." Gil looked at the paper; there was Sara's name and an address. "But?" Gil started to question Catherine. "Don't ask, just go," Catherine told him gently touching his shoulder. Gil looked at the paper again, smiled, hugged Catherine and took off. Catherine smiled. "It has been a long time since he has been that happy," she said to herself.

Within an hour Gil was on a plane, three hours later he was standing in front of a door. Gil knocked on the door, and then stood off to the side. When Sara opened the door all see saw was a brown paper bag, opening the bag Sara found a brown teddy bear, a smile came across her face. But who could have sent it?

Gil stepped from the shadows, "I thought you might need someone to protect you. I'll leave you two alone if that is what you really want."

Sara threw her arms around Gil. "Sara, I ….." Gil could not say anything else because his lips were quickly covered with Sara's.

"I know," Sara said. She took his hand and led him inside, shutting the world out behind them.

"We were so busy worrying about the unimportant things in life that we almost lost what was most important - each other and our love," Gil tells Sara.

"Where do we go from here?" Sara asked knowing she could not go back to Vegas and almost certain Gil would never leave his job.

Gil put his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. "The moon for all I care, as long as we are together," he whispered as he kissed her, "I love you. I need you in my life."

Sara smiled, "I know one place I need you," her eyes went to her bedroom door. "I haven't had a descent nights sleep without you next to me."

Gil fallowed Sara to her room, lying on the bed Sara nestled close to Gil as he cradled her in his arms. "This is where I always want to be," Sara said as she drifted off to sleep.

Gil smiled, his world was complete again. Gil knew he HAD found what was important - his Sara.


End file.
